Acceletor keys in menus

[Larry]

In Vista, the items on the various menus, such as the New manu, and many
others, as well as the names of the menus themselves, such as the menus in
the IE7 menu bar, do not have the accelerator key underlined, and the user
has to remember or guess what the accelerator key is. Is there a switch to
turn on the underlining for the accelerator key for all menus?

 

[Joe Guidera]

None that I am aware of.

J

 

[grege]

Hit the alt key

None that I am aware of.

J

 

[Larry]

Since it was supposedly Microsoft's purpose to make the operating system
easier to use, filling the OS with all kinds of prompts and aides to the
user, why would they take away the underlined accelerator keys which are
obviously a help to users?

 

[Joe Guidera]

As another has posted hitting the ALT key will temporarily show the
accelerator key. Can't answer the other question

 

[Larry]

Hitting the Alt key is not even geared for all menus in Windows, for
example, the New menu.

Also, I think I've noticed at times the underlining appear on its own in
some system features (maybe the New menu) and then go away on its own.

 

[grege]

Your Welcome Larry. Glad you appreciate the help provided.

 

[Larry]

If you're saying that pressing Alt will cause the accellerater keys to be
underlined on the New menu and in similar locations, I'll check that out the
next time I'm at the Vista computer I'm helping a friend with from time to
time.

If it does, however, it's still an extra step compared with previous
versions.

 

[Larry]

I just tried it out. Pressing Alt does not create any change in the
right-click menu in a folder or in the New menu coming off that right-click
menu. There are no underlinings of accelerator keys on those menus.
Sometimes pressing a key will work to trigger the item, but other times
there seems to be no choice but to use the mouse.

So it appears that Microsoft took away a handy feature that used to be part
of the basic system, making it possible to get through menus very quickly by
pressing keys.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Larry,

I'm not sure why you aren't seeing the accelerator keys underlined in the
menus?

In Windows Explorer, I see the keys underlined in the classic menus when I
click the ALT key to display these menus, I also see the underlined
accelerator keys on the right click menu in a folder, desktop, Control Panel
and everywhere else?

I assumed this was set as the default in Vista, since the ALT option to show
or not show these keys underlined was removed from the Display
Properties/Appearance/Effects menu where it was located in XP.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Larry

I found it.

Open Control Panel / Ease of Access, Click the Make the keyboard easier to
use link. At the bottom of that page, select the option "Underline keyboard
shortcuts and access keys."

 

[Larry]

Ronnie,

Thanks much for finding this. I appreciate it.

I find it bizarre that this control is hidden away in such an obscure spot.

And I wonder if it could be found in Vista's vaunted Help system.

Larry




Thanks for

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Larry

I agree, I have no idea why they would bury this option?

Glad this fixed the problem.

 

[Larry]

I sent a reply last night thanking you for this but don't see it posted.
Here it is again:

Ronnie,

Thanks much for finding this. I appreciate it.

I find it bizarre that this control is hidden away in such an obscure spot.

And I wonder if it could be found in Vista's vaunted Help system.

Larry